Review: Insurgent

Insurgent
By: Veronica Roth
Release Date May 1, 2012
Series: Divergent

Description:
One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

Review:
Veronica Roth - I want to thank you for yet another amazingly written book. One that I could not and did not want to put down.  A book that had me dreaming about simulations, a book that had me loving the name Beatrice, and yes a book that had me at the tip of my seat waiting to see what happened next.  How do you even begin to review a book that is so much anticipated without giving spoilers away to those who haven't read it yet, which really what are you waiting for - get on it! 

We last left Divergent with the Factions falling apart - Erudite has taken over the Dauntless to run a simulation that will kill the Abnegation, the Divergent press forward as they are able to wake up from this simulation but this is not without consequences and many losses. 

We start Insurgent with Tris still very much affected by the fact that she had to kill Will, someone she knew well and with the death of her parents, which she will never know then as well as she thought she did, and they will never know how well she turned out to be.  It still haunts her this unbelievable guilt that they sacrificed their lives for her and the unspeakable act she had to do to Will.  She can't even talk about it because she thinks people will see her differently especially Tobias (Four). 

“Will,” I say. It sounds like a gasp, like it was pulled straight from my stomach. Now there is no turning back.

“I shot Will,” I say, “while he was under the simulation. I killed him. He was going to kill me, but I killed him. My friend.”

They are now without a faction headquarter as half the dauntless have become traitors and the other half has seeked refuge in another faction.  They end up in Amity seeking refuge from the faction that believes in peace keeping and no involvement.  Eventually, because they are Dauntless and cannot help it, they move on to another location because they are not completely welcomed.  This is when they head to the Faction less territory where we meet Four's mother Evelyn. 

The Faction less seem to have banded together to form a much larger unity then any of the other factions.  Within their group they have people who were part of all factions which includes Divergent, therefore making them stronger than any existing faction.  Tris has an off feeling about Evelyn, the entire situation of them trying to get Dauntless and the Faction less together to overtake Erudite doesn't sit well with her.  They move on back to their Dauntless headquarters as the traitors are at Erudite and no one is at Dauntless.  This is decided while they were staying at the Candor headquarter - this is where the Dauntless retreated to after the first fight simulation.  Tobias is now one of the Dauntless leaders, something Tris believes he always wanted. 

Erudite is still trying to take over all factions, but they need Divergent to study them and see what it is that makes them tick so they can create a simulation they cannot wake up from.  Jeannine is on a mission and she's ready to torture and kill anyone for that opportunity.
         
         I have a message for the Divergent.
         I am Divergent.
         This is not a negotiation.
         No, it is not.
         It is a warning.
         I understand.

Tris takes this very seriously and personally, she leaves everyone behind in the Dauntless faction and goes straight into the Erudite camp to give herself up, she doesn't want to live, she's giving up.  Can't live with the guilt of Will even though now everyone knows and she feels as if her parents died for her so she needs to die for the people she loves.  

“I’d like to know what time it is,” I say.
“Would you,” she says. “That’s interesting.”
I should have known she wouldn’t tell me. Every piece of information she receives factors into her strategy, and she won’t tell me what time it is unless she decides that providing the information is more useful than withholding it.
“I’m sure my Dauntless companions are disappointed,” she says, “that you have not tried to claw my eyes out yet.”
“That would be stupid.”

There is so much that happens during this section of the book that it definitely is a must read.  What is real, what is a simulation, how much can Tris take of all this experimentation.  After this there is much planning of what will happen next, how to take down the Erudite and who to trust. That is a large factor in this book, trust.  Who do you believe and are they right? There are revelations that are made, secrets revealed.  Trusts and bonds broken and repaired.  There is love and hate.  There is fighting and peace.  Who comes out the victor in the end now that the truth has come out?  What will happen next????

I can't tell you how much I loved this book.  You know how you have a great story, great writing, great concept and everything just fits together better than anything you've read before, this is that book.  I just don't see any flaws - other than the next one needs to be out like yesterday!